St Mary Bourne NP

St Mary Bourne Parish Neighbourhood Plan - 2016-2029

Submission version: April 2017

1 Foreword

St Mary Bourne, Stoke and the Hamlets – Wadwick, the Wykes, Egbury and Binley – are the constituents of a vibrant community (The Parish). It is a balanced group of settlements in terms of its population’s backgrounds and occupations, and has a number of landowners rather than a single dominant one.

Figure 1. Area covered by the St Mary Bourne Neighbourhood Plan

The Parish has a particular character which the vast majority of residents appreciate and a set of amenities which many villages lack. We benefit from many community-minded activists, driving a wide range of clubs and events from cricket, through badminton to renowned amateur dramatics.

In 2011, the Parish Council established a long-term planning group (LTPG) to assess the need for a Neighbourhood Plan (the SMB Plan, or SMBNP), in order to ensure that the community could become closely involved in defining the future of the Parish. The LTPG has reported back periodically to the Parish Council as the qualifying body which has minuted its approval and/or comments on the SMB Plan.

The SMB Plan has been developed over a longer period than intended, in part due to the Basingstoke & Deane Local Plan (the ALP) being delayed in its completion. Despite this technical issue, in April 2014 a public meeting was held and a draft of the SMB Plan elements presented. Almost the whole company present agreed that 95% of the SMB Plan was what they saw as the vision for the Parish for the period from 2016 -29. A summary of the process can be found in Appendix 2. Aims

Our chief Aims are:

1. Provide a framework for sensitive development of the parish, to allow it to continue to grow and therefore to sustain the parish communities and their assets but also to retain the character of the parish. 2. Rebalance the housing stock, to allow development of sufficient homes for those starting out in life and to facilitate older people downsizing. 3. Share the burden of new development in a positive way, to reduce the strain on St Mary Bourne and Stoke and to reinvigorate the Hamlets. 4. Encourage Community Action projects, which whilst not within the technical scope of the SMB Plan, will support and enhance the development of the Parish.

Objectives

To deliver these Aims, we have consulted widely over the past few years with residents, other interested parties, the Local Planning Authority and Statutory bodies and have developed the following Objectives as a basis for the SMB Plan Policies:

1. Focus on re-developing redundant agricultural buildings, in order to protect greenfield sites, respect sightlines and reduce the burden on infrastructure 2. Support developments which rebalance the housing stock 3. Support lower cost market housing and Rural Exception sites for non-market housing, provided this does not contradict other Policies 4. Ensure that new development is well-designed, helps to create a strong sense of place, and reinforces the distinctive character of the villages and hamlets, and conserves or enhances visual amenity 5. Provide for site types which do not further strain the infrastructure of the village, particularly the sewage and fresh water systems, parking and traffic flows. Considerations

In parallel to the extensive consultations held with the Parish and other parties, the LTPG has worked against the background of the following Considerations, which are factual drivers limiting or promoting certain Policies:

1. Potential development areas need to take into account the topography of the Parish, the fact that St Mary Bourne and Stoke are vulnerable to flooding which also affects adversely the effective functioning of the sewerage network, and that traffic flows through the Bourne Valley are impacted by other developments, such as Augusta Park and Picket Piece in Andover 2. Affordable housing is a key Objective, but its delivery entails a number of challenges, including site sizes, budgets of providers and the eligibility of local people. 3. There is a large existing stock of non-market housing, which we would encourage the owners to review and assess how this could be developed or adapted to support the Aims of the SMB Plan. 4. Adjacent proposed or recent developments, such as that at the Viaduct between St Mary Bourne and Hurstbourne Priors, Augusta Park and Picket Piece in Andover, have a material effect on our Parish but the SMB Plan is not allowed to take these into consideration. Community Action

The SMB Plan includes a number of community action projects. These are not planning policies, however they identify issues which are important to the community and will help to guide the activities of the parish council and other community groups. These have been included within the Plan in order to ensure that the views of local residents are fully reflected. These community action projects also provide important contextual information concerning priorities in the parish.

Sustainability

In addition to the Aims and Objectives, the SMB Plan needs to have at its centre the sustainability of the Parish, both in terms of its environmental status as well as economic and social factors. The Policies set out below are intended to fulfil the Objectives and to protect the valuable landscape and heritage aspects which the Parish benefits from. To this end, and based on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (Appendix 5) carried out, the Policies are intended to respect the character of the Parish, the historic significance of the Conservation Area and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the particular nature of individual locations. New development should conserve and enhance these, whilst allowing for an incremental rise in number of dwellings.

The situations where new development will be permitted are governed by the statutory development plan, comprising the SMB Plan and the Local Plan established by Basingstoke & Deane. The SMB plan takes into account the characteristics of the Parish and the SMB Plan Aims. We also refer to the North Wessex Downs AONB Management Plan for guidance.

St Mary Bourne is a rural parish, with a dispersed character, and has poor public transport services. This results in an over-reliance on the car which in turn creates traffic and parking issues within the Settlement boundary of St Mary Bourne and on roads through the Bourne valley. In addition, traffic flow through the Bourne Valley and from Andover via the Wykes creates speeding and parking difficulties. There are limited employment opportunities in the area, and it is intended that the SMB Plan should help to address this by encouraging home working where appropriate, and thus fostering employment as part of new developments. Existing infrastructure in and around St Mary Bourne is constrained. The area suffers from flooding and the effective functioning of the sewerage network is compromised when the water table is high. There is an identified shortage of smaller and more affordable housing in the village. The Housing Survey conducted by the LTPG showed that: 1. 63% of respondents (294 replies) were in households of 1 or 2 persons 2. 64% of respondents to the question “Why have you been unable to purchase a property locally” replied “Too expensive” 3. 65 households – equal to around 11% had a member who would need alternative accommodation within 5 years and 80-90% of these wished for 1-2 bedroom units. 4. In response to the question “If new houses were built, what would be the most appropriate”, the responses clustered around Affordable homes to rent, Small family homes and Homes for older people downsizing.

Overall Growth Strategy: key principles

Large-scale growth across the parish would be unsustainable given the rural character of the area and the topographical and infrastructure constraints. The overall strategy should be one of rebalancing housing stock to help halt the trend towards an ageing population and to cater for a range of budgets. The strategy should allow for incremental growth, based on smaller, more affordable house types and encouragement of local employment. New development is required to address current gaps in the market. The village population is getting older. Small housing units (1-3 bedrooms) are necessary to create more affordable homes for first- time buyers and to allow downsizing by older people. This is supported by census data, the householder survey, and analysis of existing and recently constructed stock. As chart 1 shows, the section of the population moving into the 60+ bracket is rising, while the proportion of younger people is declining. Sheltered accommodation and other forms of housing suitable for older people should be encouraged to cater for the needs of an ageing population. In turn this should free up larger units for families to upsize into. Given the characteristics of the Parish, growth should be dispersed, rather than concentrated, due to constraints of topography and restrictions on infrastructure. Housing growth should be based on previously used sites, subject to policies on house-type and design. To complement the dispersed character of the area, each site should have a limit of 6 housing units and most sites will not support this number. This will prevent over-urbanisation.

Chart 1: Census data from 2001 and 2011

400

350

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250 2001 200 2011 150

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0 0-9 10-15 16-19 20-29 30-44 45-59 60-74 75+

Policy on Redundant agricultural development sites

Rationale: It is considered that growth should be delivered in a dispersed manner to complement the character of the area, avoid harm to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the massing of new buildings, and to avoid over-urbanisation. The Hamlets account for more than a third of inhabitants and should be supported in remaining sustainable in terms of housing mix, to rebalance the emphasis in recent years on building very large houses and extending smaller houses, and to enhance their contribution to the AONB by addressing the issue of redundant agricultural buildings. Consultations have focused on the use of “brownfield sites”, including redundant agricultural buildings and other non-residential locations. This can be seen as an opportunity to cater for growth and identified local needs, and promote sustainable patterns of development. Brownfield sites, as defined in National Planning Policy Framework, will be addressed by the Basingstoke & Deane Local Plan, including Policy SS6. Redundant agricultural buildings will be addressed by the SMB Plan. In many cases redundant agricultural buildings in the Parish are not of historical merit and contain asbestos roofing or materials which as they deteriorate are a risk to health and do not enhance the AONB. By replacing these with appropriate new buildings, reflecting the design characteristics laid out in the St Mary Bourne Village Design Statement 2005 (Appendix 4) , such developments would enhance and improve the setting and contribute to sustaining and improving the AONB. Paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) provides for new housing in rural communities, where it will “Enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities”. The Policies of the SMB Plan reflect this aim, as the Hamlets and sites outside the St Mary Bourne Settlement Boundary can provide new housing which follows one of the key aims of the SMB Plan, to rebalance the housing stock in the Parish with smaller units, intended for young families and for permitting down-sizing, so freeing up other units for upsizing by families. By rebalancing the housing stock in this manner, the problems of an ageing population can be mitigated. Young families will support the school, the Surgery, the many clubs run in the Parish, while allowing older inhabitants to remain will sustain their contribution to the vitality of the Parish. In developing such sites, the principle of proportionality is intended to govern the number of units; i.e. the amount and scale of new development should be well related to the existing quantum of housing in the vicinity of the site. It is not envisaged that the maximum of six will apply widely, as the Parish’s characteristics and potential sites support dispersed developments of fewer units than six. These should reflect the surrounding residential massing and ensure the character of the location is not changed adversely by over-development.

Policy P1: Redundant Agricultural Buildings Residential development on sites of Redundant Agricultural Buildings will be approved where it is proportionate to the location and within a closely-grouped or contiguous built form of existing housing, provided that: a) the scale – the number and size of units - is proportionate to the settlement’s size, form and character; and b) the site is within or directly adjoining the built form of the settlement; and

8 c) it would not harm and should conserve and enhance the settlement’s rural character and setting; and d) the development meets a locally agreed housing need, as identified in this plan; e) The number of units should be up to six on any one site (a site comprises a single or a group of agricultural buildings) and must be proportionate to its location and to the existing residential units in the vicinity of the site. f) Any such development must not result in an additional agricultural building being needed during the lifetime of the SMB Plan in order to replace the building(s) being redeveloped. g) The demolition of buildings which have architectural or historic merit will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that the building is not capable of conversion and it can be justified that the benefits of the proposal outweigh any harm to the character of the area owing to the loss of the building proposed for demolition

Supporting text Subject to meeting the above criteria, developments which include live/work units and where there will not be detrimental effects, such as inappropriate traffic flows, noise, light or other pollution, will be supported.

The figure of six units was arrived at via consultations in the Parish, where the results showed a clear preference for up to six units in any one location, to spread the growth pattern across the Parish, as well as restricting the effects of adverse traffic flows and excessive massing of new buildings in one location which might adversely affect the site.

There are three developments on redundant agricultural sites in the Parish at:

 Stud Farm, a former farmyard (6 units)  Blacksmiths, a former smithy (5 units)  Jamaica Farm, a former farmyard (original planning permission for 5 units, but now 8 units)

These set a precedent for such a size of development on former agricultural sites. A Redundant Agricultural Building is defined as a unit which existed at 15 April 2015 (referring to the date of the revised NPPF legislation which governed other changes to use of agricultural buildings) and which has been redundant for more than 12 months and can be shown not to be viable for agricultural use or other economic purposes. This Policy does not apply to isolated redundant agricultural buildings, where these are not part of an existing residential cluster. Such sites will continue to be addressed by the ALP and other planning provisions outside the scope of the SMB Plan. A fundamental requirement of redeveloping Redundant Agricultural sites will be to meet only a locally agreed need, which could be for market and/or affordable housing.

Policy on In-fill within Stoke

Rationale: The Settlement Boundary of St Mary Bourne and the non-allocated settlement of Stoke are differentiated from the Hamlets by being constrained by physical factors – the shape of the Bourne valley, traffic flows, infrastructure issues and the fact that there a limited number of sites. However, there has been in-fill development in recent years and the SMB Plan recognises that this can be supported, where it abides by the Policies of the SMB Plan. The Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan supports the principle of new housing development within the St Mary Bourne settlement policy boundary, and the SMB Plan does not interfere with that principle (subject to compliance with the relevant policies in the ALP, the SMB Plan and at national level). It is considered that in-fill development in Stoke should also be supported, subject to compliance with the criteria set out below and the other relevant policies within the SMB Plan, ALP and at national level. The settlement is considered to be sustainable, and its spatial characteristics are potentially conducive to limited in-fill development. Consequently, the settlement can support limited new development within the confines of the existing settlement and policy P2 below sets out the criteria for assessing such proposals.

Policy P2: Infill housing in Stoke Proposals for new dwellings within the existing built up area of Stoke will be permitted provided: a) The development consists of infilling a small undeveloped plot by one dwelling or a pair of semi-detached dwellings within a continuous built up frontage but does not infringe important sightlines to open countryside (please refer to pages 8-9 of the VDS in Appendix 4 for examples of sightlines): and b) The proposed development is commensurate with the scale and character of existing dwellings within the otherwise continuous built up frontage: and c) Where more than one unit is provided then at least one of the units should be a 2 bedroom unit, and units consented under this policy should not exceed 3 bedrooms.

Supporting text Policy SS6 contained within the ALP does potentially support additional housing outside of St Mary Bourne and Stoke where the criteria in that policy are met. That policy applies in addition to policy P2 as set out above. An important element of the parish, which is considered a positive feature of the area’s local distinctiveness, are sightlines allowing for attractive views and vistas, some of which are derived from gaps between built form. Consequently, any in-filling needs to be sympathetic to this important characteristic. The design guidelines set out below and in the St Mary Bourne Village Design Statement (Appendix 4)provide the policy framework for the consideration of this issue, and will need to be adhered to when establishing the suitability of sites, and arriving at appropriate design solutions.

Policy on Housing Site Mix and Local Connection Pre-emption Right

Rationale: To facilitate rebalancing of the housing stock, the SMB Plan will provide for some flexibility in the constituents of any individual development, but seeks to focus new projects on units of 2 and 3 bedrooms as these would fulfil local needs. The supporting argument to this is that in general the kinds of sites in the Parish which may suit development are not large, comprise a small cluster of Redundant Agricultural buildings within a residential context and would not accommodate overdevelopment where the character and massing of the location is changed materially.

Policy P3: Housing Site Mix and Local Connection Pre-emption right The mix of any individual development should be predominantly 2 and 3 bedroom units. Small units (2 and 3 bedroom properties) may not be combined so as to create a single residence from two units. Developments must be offered for a period of six weeks to those with a local connection, being either residents, relatives of residents, former residents who wish to return, residents of nearby Parishes or those working in key professions in the area, such as teachers, firefighters and medical personnel. This priority right will be at the price at which the development shall be offered for sale and in the case of a subsequent reduction in price, the six-week period shall commence again.

Supporting text The policy requires that Individual units shall not be combined, this is in order to ensure that smaller units are not converted into one larger unit, as this would circumvent the intentions of rebalancing the housing stock in order to place a greater emphasis on smaller units.

Policy on Rural Exception Sites and Affordability

Rationale: Around 14% of the Parish’s households are in non-market accommodation, with 32% not owner-occupiers, and part of the sustainability of the Parish comes in its mix of residents, in terms of their historical links with the Parish, different careers or professions and backgrounds. The LTPG believes that this mix helps to give the Parish its vibrancy and contributes to its character and to the maintenance of social assets, including clubs, the shop, Church, pubs, the Lunch club and social events such as the Queen’s Birthday Tea in 2016.

The SMB Plan recognises the difficulty in delivering small-scale non-market housing and intends to provide smaller units which can be as affordable as possible in the local market context. It is also noted that there is difficulty in providing Affordable housing in its Local Planning Authority/NPPF definition, due to reductions in funding and other criteria, such as needing to be near local facilities.

The SMB Plan is structured to support the provision of smaller, market-based units which should be affordable to purchase or rent because of their scale. Developments where they are included with

11 larger market units would be supported, as this allows for economies of scale in construction and infrastructure.

In addition to this, the LTPG notes that the consultation process has shown a clear desire for Affordable Housing through non-market provision and so will provide for Rural Exception Sites as long as these fulfil certain criteria.

Policy P4: Rural Exception Sites A Rural Exception Site, providing affordable housing as defined in the current national level planning policy guidance, outside of, but in close proximity to St Mary Bourne, will be supported provided that: a) the scale is proportionate to the settlement’s size, form and character; and b) the site would not harm but would enhance the settlement’s rural character and setting; and c) the development clearly meets a locally agreed housing need; and d) there is demonstrable local community support for the proposal, including detailed consultation and engagement with local residents and the parish council; and e) it is not built in an area vulnerable to flooding, or on land which would increase the risk of flooding in other locations.

Supporting text Previous rural exception housing sites in the neighbourhood area have resulted in concerns being raised by the local community over a number of issues, such as drainage/flooding, design, and impact on the character of the village. Therefore, the acceptability of any rural exception site will need to be informed by extensive community engagement, which should include consideration of issues such as the location, scale and design of the proposed development. This should take place as early in the process as is practicable.

Policy on Environmental Factors

Rationale: Considering the importance of conserving and enhancing the AONB, the sensitive nature of the Bourne valley and surrounding landscape and the wildlife in the Parish, the SMB Plan seeks to reduce the impact of new development on the environment. In addition to the provisions contained in the other policies, the SMB Plan will provide for a number of safeguards to ensure the environment is considered as a key criterion in permitting development.

An important part of the character of the neighbourhood area is also derived from the historic environment. However, this issue will be covered under national legislation and policy, along with policy EM11 within the ALP (and any subsequent versions of that policy).

Policy P5: Environmental Factors

Development proposals will be permitted provided they:

12 a) Respond positively to the local environment, including topography, landscape and water features, the Bourne rivulet trees and plants, wildlife habitats, site orientation and microclimate; and b) Take advantage of, and respect, views into and out of sites, in order to protect existing, and facilitate new, attractive views and vistas (See examples in the VDS Appendix 4); and c) Demonstrate that there is sufficient capacity in the sewerage network to accommodate the development, or provide a connection to the sewerage network at the nearest point of adequate capacity, as agreed with the service provider. Make provision for disposal of surface water. In other cases, observe the hierarchy of sewage connections shown in appendix 2; and d) Ensure new development does not adversely affect water quality in the Bourne Rivulet or the quality of groundwater to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency; and e) Facilitate homeworking (when the proposal is for new housing development), provided this is ancillary to the overall use of the dwelling house and does not have a detrimental impact on residential amenity or the character of the area and f) Do not increase traffic flows significantly or parking problems within the centres of St Mary Bourne and Stoke. g) Are not built in an areas vulnerable to flooding, or on land which would increase the risk of flooding in other locations.

Policy P6: Small scale renewable energy projects Small scale renewable energy projects will be permitted, provided they: a) Do not result in a detrimental landscape impact (in terms of visual effects), unacceptable noise generation, other detrimental environmental impacts or harm to residential amenity, which cannot be successfully mitigated; and b) Do not result in inappropriate volumes of traffic or the use of vehicles which would have a detrimental impact on the local road network.

Supporting text

Developments should seek to enhance or improve the environmental sustainability of a location, which may be defined as the visual aspect or where the development includes factors which improve the location for wildlife or reduce environmental risks or hazards. Renewable energy on a small scale, where the installation does not contradict other policies, will be supported, however, large scale renewable energy developments are not considered to be consistent with the character of the parish. Opportunities to improve and enhance Rights of Way, including those which form part of Natural England Rights of Way Improvement Plans, will be considered to weigh in favour of developments. Developments which take whatever opportunities are available to make use of recycled and/or low embodied energy building materials, environmentally neutral energy systems, grey water recycling and rainwater harvesting will be supported. A key characteristic of the Parish is sightlines, as the topography and landscape typology create a backdrop for roads, tracks and paths from which the countryside can be appreciated and which need to be protected. Development will only be supported if it can demonstrate that sightlines pertaining

13 to attractive views and vistas are not impaired. It will also be necessary to consider how new development will appear when seen from key viewpoints, so more detail on key views is set out in the SMB Village Design Statement (Appendix 4). The design of new developments should also take opportunities to utilise picturesque views and facilitate the creation of new vistas where appropriate.

Developments will only be supported where they can demonstrate no adverse environmental effect from rainwater run-off, there is existing capacity in the sewage system or additional capacity is provided appropriate to the development and will not increase pressure significantly on traffic flows and parking. Developments must conserve and enhance the Parish’s natural environment, including areas of ecological value and the water environment, which includes the Bourne Rivulet. They must not affect adversely water quality in the Bourne Rivulet or the quality of groundwater. New development must adhere to the sequential approach to avoiding flood risk as set out in ALP and in national level planning policy.

Use of recycled and environmentally friendly (low embodied energy) materials, environmentally neutral energy systems, waste water processing, and rainwater harvesting is supported in principle. It will be important to ensure that recycled and environmentally friendly building materials used on the exterior of buildings are high quality, durable, and consistent with the character of the proposed buildings.

Developments which include provision for homeworking will be supported as these reduce vehicle journeys and contribute to the sustainability of the area by virtue of facilitating mixed communities.

Policy on Design Factors

Rationale: Considering that the Parish is in the AONB and contains a conservation area, with important landscapes and buildings, the SMB Plan will support development that respects, conserves and enhances the locality. New development in St Mary Bourne also must deliver high quality design. In order to achieve this, new development must accord with the principles set out within the SMB Village Design Statement (Appendix 4) and in particular the following design policies.

Policy P7: Design Requirements

All development proposals must achieve a high standard of design, which responds positively to the context. Development proposals will be permitted provided they: a) Complement the rural character of the area and traditional building styles, forms and materials; and b) Provide sufficient space, and make appropriate provision for, appropriate planting, comprising species which respond positively to the local area; and c) Ensure the preservation of existing mature hedgerows, and where possible make provision for new hedgerows, utilising species which are typical of the locality; and

14 d) Utilise external finishing materials, detailing and architectural features (including doors, windows and porches) which are high quality and sympathetic to the design and character of buildings in the locality (or existing building in the case of extensions or alternations); and e) Limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and biodiversity; and f) Integrate car parking within attractive areas of soft and hard landscaping in order to minimise any negative impact on visual amenity, and ensure that car parking requirements can be catered for on-plot; and g) Provide conveniently located, well-screened storage space for bins and recycling, and for bicycles and motor vehicles, the design and location of any such storage facilities should respond positively to the proposed development and the character of the locality; and h) Be of a scale or density which would complement and not have a detrimental impact on the character of the area; and i) Make provision for high quality, locally distinctive boundary treatment.

Supporting text

Where development is permitted it should respect the rural character of the parish and its traditional building characteristics.

Any changes to buildings or land should respect and seek to improve the setting of the parish and preserve important public views into, out of and through the villages and hamlets. Applications for planning permission should refer to the current North Wessex Downs Management Plan with its guidance on the need for appropriately designed development.

Meadows alongside the Bourne are an important visual feature of the valley floor and adjoining settlements, and particular care should be taken to safeguard the scenic qualities of the river valley, especially the water meadows and the Bourne itself. The water meadows for the entire length of the parish are designated as a part of the Test Valley Environmentally Sensitive Area.

Where new development is permitted, sufficient space should be left for the extensive planting of trees and shrubs, with through views to the countryside behind. New planting proposed as part of development proposals should favour native species, and avoid the use of inappropriate planting which does not reflect the character of the local area. Guidance on suitable species can be obtained from the Woodland Trust and should, for example, include Oak, Beech, Hornbeam, and Ash.

Mature hedges should be preserved and the creation of new hedgerows with typical chalkland hedge species is encouraged. Local species for the area are Hawthorn, Field Maple, Hazel, Elder, Dogwood, Blackthorn with Climbers: Clematis, Bramble, and Dog Rose.

Protection and maintenance of the landscape is paramount to the setting of the villages and hamlets, and development should seek to safeguard open views. The principal views into and out of the settlements are shown on the landscape plan in the St Mary Bourne Village Design Statement (please see pages 8 - 9 of the SMB VDS, Appendix 4)

Full consideration should be given to safeguard the setting of traditional architecture (especially listed buildings) and also to protect the Conservation Area in order to maintain the character of the landscape and the peaceful enjoyment of the parish.

Doors and porches (including replacement items) should, wherever possible, be sympathetic to the design of the host building and utilise materials compatible with the style and design of the property concerned.

Non-domestic development should be in sympathy with the local building form, and utilise traditional materials or be sensitively managed conversions. Non-domestic development should respect the nature of the locality.

The traditional character of parish roads and lanes should be maintained avoiding the insertion of new kerbs and footpaths, except in the centre of St Mary Bourne where there is concern as to the adequacy of walkways. The classification of minor roads as quiet lanes within the Parish of St Mary Bourne is desirable.

The conservation of the detailed pattern of fields, woodland, hedgerows and walls, and farm settlements and villages is essential to the preservation of local distinctiveness and identity. The policies and guidance encapsulated within the North Wessex Downs AONB Management Plan and the Conservation Area Appraisal for St Mary Bourne and Stoke should be applied.

Any development should limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and nature conservation.

Policy on Community Facilities and Infrastructure

The consultation process showed considerable support for allotments, which could become a community asset if designed and managed correctly. Therefore, policy 8 supports the provision of new allotments.

Policy P8: Allotments

Proposals for new allotments will be approved, provided these do not have detrimental impact on landscape character and/or the setting of any settlements or increase significantly traffic flows or intensify parking problems within the Bourne Valley.

The section below sets out the community action priorities which flow from the extensive public consultation which has been carried out in the preparation of the plan. These will be pursued by the parish council and local community groups alongside the SMB Plan. They are not policies but statements of intent.

Community Action

Environmental Issues To expand on the interest generated in environmental issues at the first consultation meeting the SMB Plan supports the creation of an Environmental Group to follow up on the following suggestions made by the parishioners:

 Exchange ideas and views on all forms of heating, providing electricity, carry out a community energy scheme and and look at renewable energy potential  Look at providing a central composting facility  Look for sites for allotments and a village orchard or a landshare scheme  Look at community beehives  Encourage the reduction of water usage,  Encourage the use of water butts, to reduce the amount of surface water going into the main drains, and to save water for garden use.  Set up a seed swop.  Start a local food directory, and food recycling.  Encourage the sale of local foods and excess garden produce in the community shop  Encourage a local market  Encourage and support wildlife projects.

Flooding: To support the Parish Council’s Flood and Emergency Group with its ongoing work with the Environment Agency, Hampshire County Council, Southern Water and the Test & Itchen Catchment Partnership. Activities include:

 Developing and overseeing the Parish Emergency Plan Response to imminent flooding incidents  Maintaining records of groundwater levels in the Parish to inform trigger points for flood alerts  Progressing the recommended actions of the DEFRA-funded Pathfinder Project  Communicating with riparian owners about river course maintenance and weed-cutting responsibilities

 Exploring funding sources to purchase emergency response equipment and carry out river course maintenance work  Communicating with a range of stakeholders including local district and county councillors, Vitacress, the Bourne Rivulet Initiative and the Bourne Valley Flood Mitigation Group.

Highways To support the Parish Council’s Highway Group in its liaison with the Hampshire County Council’s Highway Department on maintenance of the roads and the ancillary structures. To support the Parish Council’s initiatives in liaison with Hampshire Highways and the local police on control of speeding on the roads

Broadband The SMB Plan supports increased home working for which good broadband speeds are necessary. The Plan does therefore support the PC initiative to improve Broadband by:

 looking at different forms of supplying broadband to the Parish;  encouraging a local ‘take up’ group of those willing to pay for better speeds;  investigating grants

Black Garden The Parish has for many years, by kindness of its owners, used Black Garden for parish events and to provide additional parking when needed, particularly for church events. The SMB Plan supports the Parish Council’s initiative to buy the whole, or part, of Black Garden should it come onto the market.

Parking The SMB Plan supports the Parish Council’s initiative to increase parking by the school by using the redundant land at Batsford which is owned by Sovereign Housing. The SMB Plan supports the School initiative to provide a Walking School Bus. This eases the problems of shortage parking places at the School, and provides an additional form of exercise for the children. The School could consider obtaining funding (HCC) for a ‘walking bus operative’ .

Community Facilities The SMB Plan supports the provision of further outdoor facilities and the Parish Counil is asked to advance its proposal for an outdoor ping pong table in the recreation ground (or Black Garden see 2 above).

Consider an outdoor gym (with suitable equipment for all ages) along footpath from Derrydown Surgery to the School.

Consider the feasibility of providing more permissive paths (and cycle paths) eg from Cressington /Vitacress to Derrydown Lane, and from SMB to Whitchurch

The SMB Plan supports additional facilities for the Parish and in particular the elderly and the young and suggests the Parish Council set up a group to work alongside the Shop & Village Hall Committees to look at the feasibility of adding a cafe onto the Shop, with internet access and library (including cds and dvds). This cafe would bring increased revenue to the shop and provide a meeting place for the elderly and young, with access to the internet. It would also provide facilities for tourism, and in particular the Test Way walkers. By linking it with two other Parish facilities grants are available for solar energy facilities to power all three buildings.

Community Transport

The SMB Plan supports initiatives to improve community transport and asks the Parish Council to set up a group to look at the feasibility of providing a community bus, owned by the Parish and finding grants. See http://www3.hants.gov.uk/passengertransport/transport-self-help-kit.htm The bus could be serviced within the Parish and parishioners employed/volunteer to drive the bus. The bus would support those living in the hamlets, provide transport for the elderly and the young, and support the school and local groups.

Encourage the setting up of a commuter group to use technology to encourage car shares to and from Whitchurch Railway Station. This will reduce the traffic through the parish at peak times, reduce carbon emissions, reduce the parking problems around the station, and provide a further social framework.

Ask the School to consider a project to be undertaken with all the children in the school to develop a school travel plan (see http://www3.hants.gov.uk/servicesforschools/school-travel-planning.htm ) The project could cover the different means of transport used to get to school, ways to encourage walking to school, setting up car shares, possible support for a community bus as well as the environmental and health effects of school transport

Appendix 1: Key assets

In addition to planning development, the LTPG has identified the following key assets as important to the Parish as a whole:

 The School  The Church  The Clinic and dispensary  Village Centre, used by many clubs and for a wide range of events  Recreation ground and bowls green  Shop (Community Owned COmpany)  Play area and Mullti Use Games Area  The pubs, if change of use is sought

Consultations illustrated the importance of these assets to residents, who are active in using and developing them. In addition to these fixed assets, footpath and bridleways have many users.

Analysis of the assets has concluded the following:

A. The School provides an important amenity for the Parish, even if around half of the pupils come from outside the Parish currently; parking is a substantial issue, as is traffic flow and speeding connected with people dropping off or collecting their children. There is no wish among residents to relocate the school, but provision of pre-school would be an improvement, if an adjacent or other suitable site could be found. B. The Church remains vibrant and is a core architectural asset; parking is an issue but is currently mitigated by use of the land known as Black Garden. C. The Clinic is regarded as a vital resource but is capable of further development, including attracting patients from outside the Parish. D. The other assets listed above are seen as both important from a utility point of view and from their contribution to Parish character.

Appendix 2: Sewage connections hierarchy

1. Public sewer where reasonably practical/Public sewer where feasible 2. Private sewer connecting to a public sewer/Package sewage treatment plant 3. Private sewage treatment plant (including septic tanks)/Septic tank 4. Cesspool

Note that the two definitions are respectively from Building Regulations/Planning Practice Guidance.

Source: Environment Agency

Appendix 3: Summary of the Process

The need was researched and assessed by a number of means:

 Open meetings and consultation sessions, where the residents were able to record their wishes and aims, including question and answer sessions  A housing survey, together with other surveys – for example of young people  Detailed consultation with key stakeholders: the school, the surgery, the shop and those responsible for other assets in the village  Analysis of the Basingstoke & Deane housing list  Debate within the Parish Council over how to achieve the aims established, attended by residents in significant numbers.

These processes have been documented, both in formal reports and in minutes of meetings, notes from the consultations and other comments recorded without public attribution. In addition, members of the LTPG have met with Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council officials on several occasions to discuss and develop the evidence base and to test the needs assessment.

Consultation Dates

20 April 2012 Open meeting for the Parish 16 November 2012 Consultation meeting for the Parish October 2013 Housing Survey October 2013 Landscape Assessment 28 March 2014 Final consultation meeting January 2015 Circulation of First draft SMB Parish Neighbourhood Plan April/May 2016 1st Regulation 14 Consultation Nov/Dec 2016 2nd Regulation 14 Consultation

Communications

Regular Reporting to the SMB Parish Council Articles in Hill & Valley, the Parish Magazine an example below and Appendix XX in the Consultation Statement The Blog, http://smbp2027.blogspot.co.uk/ set up in July 2012, and updated at regular intervals The Roving Exhibition taken to public spaces during the Autumn 2012 Bourne Valley Sign Post https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/BVSmember/

For a fuller account see the Consultation Statement

Appendix4: Village Design Statement (VDS)

Please see separate report on http://www.stmarybourne-pc.gov.uk/images/stmarybourne_village_statement_2016.pdf

NB In the VDS it is stated that both St Mary Bourne and Stoke have Settlement Boundaries. The Settlement Boundary around Stoke has been removed since the Village Design Statement was produced.

Appendix 5 Strategic Environmental Assessment

Please see separate report on http://www.stmarybourne- pc.gov.uk/images/st_mary_bourne_neighbourhood_plan_strategic_environmental_assessment.pdf

Appendix 6: Summary of housing survey of local residents

Acknowledgement and thanks

Many people have contributed much time and effort in the creation of this Neighbourhood Plan. Particular thanks are due to

 The Long Term Planning Group, chaired by Andrew Shegog  The SMB Parish Council for their initiation of the project, with the inspiration of Horace Mitchell, the Borough Councillor at the time  Locality, Community Development Fund, Groundworks and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for the financial support

 The Parish Clerk, Derek Kane, who managed the finances  Members of the Planning Department at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, in particular Andrew Rushmer, for their continued support and encouragement  Richard Anning for preparing the Housing Survey and its analysis  Mark Bunting for analysing the School and Youth Surveys  Richard Plincke for his design work  Letter and survey distributors  All the many members of focus groups who prepared reports and presentations for the consultation events  Martin Coppen for setting up the Neighbourhood Plan Blog  Urban Vision, in particular Dave Chetwyn and Dave Proudlove, for advice on drafting the final report  Nick Chisholm-Batten, of AECOM, for undertaking the Strategic Environment Assessment  The statutory bodies for their helpful advice and contributions